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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers

The new SCW Wash-down Curtain Wall from Zoneworks (Milwaukee, WI) is a flexible fabric wall that allows users to enclose areas to minimize overspray during routine production processes. Ideal for any plants with harsh wash-down environments, the wall is constructed of 18-ounce white vinyl fabric and is manufactured without stitched seam to help eliminate the potential for bacteria accumulation.

TIPTON, Ind. (AP) — A solar panel manufacturer says its plans remain on track to start production at an unfinished auto parts factory in central Indiana a year after President Barack Obama announced $400 million in federal loan guarantees for the company.
Abound Solar took control of the vacant factory near Tipton after gaining final loan approval in December and has since added production at its existing plant in Longmont, Colo.

Michael Melia, Associated Press
GROTON, Conn. (AP) — The U.S. Navy's primary contractor for submarines is hiring hundreds of employees and putting up new buildings as it doubles production of fast-attack submarines and ramps up design work for a new generation of ballistic missile vessels, company officials said Wednesday.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — General Dynamics Corp. said Thursday that it has received a $56.4 million contract from the Department of Defense to make Rifleman and Manpack radios for the U.S. Army.
The contract calls for General Dynamics C4 Systems to produce 6,250 Rifleman and 100 Manpack radios, the company said.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A worker has died from injuries he received in a flash fire at a Nashville metals plant over the weekend, less than two months after a fire at a metals plant in Gallatin resulted in two deaths.
The Metro Nashville Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the death of Shawn Allen Austin, 28, of Nashville, according to The Tennessean.

Vicki Smith, Associated Press
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia chemical plant where three men died in a December explosion will fight federal safety violations issued against it last month.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration received notice last week that AL Solutions in New Cumberland plans to contest the 18 violations, said spokeswoman Lenore Uddyback-Fortson.

Columbia Marking Tools, Inc. (Chesterfield Township, MI) introduces its new Slide-A-Mark to quiet the marking of sheet metal parts. The stamp holder is mounted stationary on the opposite side of the part in a special molded sound suppressor material that is slightly raised above the stamps.

The Poly-Trux 54P-18 recycling collection cart from Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. (Ashtabula, OH) is now available with an optional, ergonomic spring loaded platform. Set inside the utility truck, the plastic platform automatically rises as materials are removed while hiding the spring mechanism underneath to prevent contact.

AutomationDirect (Cumming, GA) now offers Wera standard, insulated, and miniature screwdrivers in six-piece sets. Screwdriver handles are marked with a screw symbol and the tip size for easy identification. A laser treatment provides a microrough surface on the tip of the blade for less slipping.

The new angle grinder from Metabo (West Chester, PA) is ideal for cutting, grinding, and deburring applications. The W680 4½ inch angle grinder features a 6.2 amp motor with 680 watts of power, 14 inch-pounds of torque, and a no-load speed of 11,000 rotations per minute. Weighing 4.

Some people don't understand how critical it is to secure their supply chain. After all, for most companies, it's not as if lives are put on the line if their competitors get unauthorized access to the supply chain, right? But securing your supply chain is critical. If you don't, a competitor can exploit weaknesses and steal some of your customers.

More and more industrial enterprises are wising up to the fact that the development of a strong disaster recovery plan is a high-priority business task, and leveraging technology is one of the more effective ways to achieve that end.
When it comes to embracing cutting-edge technology to protect business data, it appears the manufacturing sector is at or near the head of the pack.

Visual Workplace, Inc. (Byron Center, MI) introduces SHADOW-Mark, a method to designate specific locations for each item in the workplace. Users trace the item, cut it out, peel the backing, and place the SHADOW-Mark in the desired location. It is available in six colors in 12.25 in. x 15 ft.

The ProStack One-Piece Hygienic Pallet from Polymer Solutions International Inc. (Medford, NJ) is formed in a single piece to eliminate crevices that could harbor bacteria, mold, and other contaminants. Its see-through, open-grid top deck, smooth finish, and flow-through design are ideal for sanitation and inspections.

Swagelok (Solon, OH) has added five new tools to its orbital welding and tubing equipment lines. The new product selection includes four new tube facing tools and one cutting tool. The tools are intended for use with 316 stainless steel, carbon steel, and most nickel-based alloys. The new tube facing tools are available in four different sizes (TF16, TF24, TF40, and TF72) and feature coated tool bits with cutting edges and built-in electronic speed regulation.

La-Man Corporation (Mazeppa, MN) announces the new SuperStar 0.1 micron filter, designed to be installed at the point of use to remove moisture and contaminants from air lines. A four-stage filter, it is designed to operate most efficiently within 25 feet of the point of use. The filter has a charcoal absorption element and offers a .

AOL co-founder and Chair of the White House Startup America Partnership Steve Case discusses the fight to create jobs in America. Now that the country is two years into the economic recovery, what is the current state of the job market? What can people expect moving forward? Case answers these questions and more.

Jaron Lanier, the "father" of virtual-reality, says the Kinect was the riskiest and one of the most successful product developments of 2010 while Google executive Eric Schmidt criticized Microsoft's ability to innovate. Lanier says Microsoft's Kinect is just the first step, and some say it could be the gateway to a new form of computing.

Chandrakant Patel, HP Fellow and Director, discusses U.S. sustainability, how to make today's wireless hyper-connectivity more efficient, the data centers of the future, and the importance of learning trade skills, not just computer science, for the next generation of American workers.
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